Lever actuated latch bolt



March 24, 1953 v J. cRoFT 2,632,663

LEVER ACTUATED LATCH BOLT Filed June 6. `195o 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTCI RN EYE March 24, 1953 l J. cRoFT 2,632,663

` I LEVER ACTUATED LATCH BOLT Filed June e, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 AYl/llA//l//rl 4.9 204 IN VENTOR.

Q/c Pq/ ATTURNEYS Patented Mar. 24,` 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEVER ACTUATED LATeH Boni' Jack craft, cisco, Tex. Application June 6, 195o, serial No. '166,481 3 claims. (c1. 292;-i'1'1) This invention relates to devices for drawing and locking elements together, and in particular a klatch having a housing with a latch bolt longitudinally slidable therein, held outwardly by a spring and actuated by 'a lever that snaps over Y the center, and a keeper over which the outer end of the latch .bolt snaps to secure the parts in assembled relation.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a 1 snap bolt of the quick acting type for drawing which, with the conventional type of fastening, requires considerable time and the reuse thereof is difficult. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a lever actuated snap latch where a jaw on the outer end 'of the latch bolt snaps over a keeper and the parts are drawn together by a lever action which automatically lacks the' parts in assembled relation.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to `provide a lever action latch that is so constructed that with a jaw on the outer end of the latch placed over a keeper parts upon which the elements are mounted may readily be drawn together, locked in assembled relation, and also readily released.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch bolt of the type that may readily be attached to meeting ol adjoining edges of panels and the like of objects and vdevices of different types and designs. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a lever actuated latch `bolt for drawing and clamping meeting edges of objects and devices which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a housing having flanges extended upwardly from a base with a latch bolt carried by the flanges and with a lever pivotally mounted on the bolt and positioned to draw a jaw on the outer end of the bolt against a keeper on the edge of an adjoining panel or `device whereby the parts are drawn together with considerable force and'in which the parts are ,looked in the assembled relation by ythe inner `v "end of the lever 4passing over the center vof `the bolt.

Other features and advantages of the invention 2 will appear from the following description taken in connection with the Adrawings wherein:

Figure l isa plan view showing the improved latch bolt with .parts shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the latch bolt shown in Figure 1 taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and also with part shown in section.

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the parts partly assembled and with the jaw of the latch bolt sliding over the upper end of the keeper.

Figure 4 is a similar section showing the parts in the locked positions.

Figure 5 is an Iend:{elevat'ional View taken on line 5 5 of Figure 442V showing the end of the latch housing with the bolt thereof shown in section. l

Figure 6 is a similar view taken on line 6-6 of Figure Y2.

l Figure 7 a detail through the outer end of the base of the latch taken on line 'I-'I of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is apdetailvshowing a trunnion for pivotally mounting the lever `on the latch bolt.

Figure 9 is a plan viewrof the lever that actuates the latch bolt, u

Figure 10 is a ylongitudinal section similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 3V illustrating the latchbolt elevated tothe releasing position.

Referring V now to vthe drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved ,lever actuated latch of this invention includes a bolt I having a threaded stemI I, a U-.shape lever I2, a spring I3, and a keeper I4. Y 1 l The bolt I0 is provided with a jaw A,I5 on the outer end `and the jaw is vpositioned to snap over a projection I6 on the keeper I4 when locking the parts in assembled relation. y rihe lock bolt I0 is slidably mounted in a slot I'I in ai'ange is at the cendrier theouter section sa of the bese and, as shown in Figure 2 thebas'e is provided with an inner section 2U with thevintermediate part bent upwardly and ,downwardly with a U- bend formingseotions 2I ,and 2,2 of a `U-shape iiange, rIhe ,stem II of the bolt YIll extends through a slot 12,3in the iiange formedby the Vsections 2l and 122 and themsection Zoof `the base is also provided with a flange gli Ywhich is v.pro-

vided with an opening 2,5 through'which the stem the trunnion extend through openings 30 and 3|, respectively in the arms 32 and 33 of the lever I2, The inner ends of the arms 32 and 33 are provided with yokes 34 and 35 in which rollers 36 and 31 are mounted on bolts 38 and 33, respectively. The trunnion 2l is held between nuts 40 and 4I whereby the trunnion is positioned so that with the rollers 36 and 31 extended straight downwardly the latch bolt is forced forwardly by the spring I3 so that the jaw I5 on the outer end thereof may snap over the keeper I4 as parts upon which the keeper and latch are mounted are brought together, or as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 a tongue 42 is inserted in a groove 43, the tongue extended from a board or panel 44 and the groove being positioned in a board or panel 45.

When the jaw I5 is latched over the keeper I4 the lever I2 is forced downwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 whereby the rollers 36 and 31 pass upwardly on the outer section of the intermediate ange and with the rollers extended upwardly above the center of the stem II, as illustrated in Figure 4 the latch will be locked in the holding position.

The latch base is covered by a substantially U-shape cover 45 and the base is secured to the panel 44 by bolts 4l, 48, 49 and 50 and the keeper I4 is secured to the panel 45 by a bolt 5I.

The keeper is provided with a beveled tongue 52 and the base I9 of the inner section is provided with a corresponding bevel surface 53 wherein, as illustrated in Figure 10 the bevel surface 53 is pressed against the surface 52 with the parts assembled.

The spring I3 is positioned around the vstem II of the latch bolt I and the large end of the spring is positioned against the section 2| of the intermediate iiange of the base. The opposite or small end of the spring is positioned against a washer 54 that is positioned against a shoulder 55 of the latch bolt.

With the parts arranged in this manner the elements upon which the keeper and latch are positioned are brought together until the jaw I snaps over the keeper I4 and with the parts in this position the lever I2 is kforced downwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 whereby the elements are securely locked together. The parts will remain in this position until the outer end of the'lever I2 is forced upwardly to release the latch bolt I0.

The lever I2 or pivot arm snaps over the center and also remains in the free or released position or in the position of holding the lock bolt released as shown in Figure 10, until it is manually actuated.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lever actuated latchv adapted to cooperate with a keeper, the combination which comprises a base having spaced perpendicularly disposed anges with slots and openings therein, a latch bolt having a gripping jaw on the outer end and a threaded stem extended from the opposite end slidably mounted in the slots and openings of the flanges of the base, said latch bolt having a shoulder at the intersection of the latch bolt and stem, a spring positioned around the stem with one end against the said shoulder and the other positioned against one of the anges of the base, said keeper positioned to be engaged by Number 4 the jaw on the outer end of the latch bolt, a nut adjustably mounted on the opposite end of the stem of the latch bolt for adjusting the limit of the outward movement of the latch bolt, and a lever carried by and pivotally mounted on the latch bolt and positioned to engage an intermediate flange of the base for urging and locking the latch bolt in the locking position.

2. In a lever actuated latch adapted to cooperate with a keeper, the combination which comprises a base having spaced perpendicularly disposed flanges with slots and openings therein, a latch bolt having a gripping jaw on the outer end anda threaded stem extended from the opposite end slidably mounted in the slots and openings of the flanges of the base, said latch bolt having a shoulder at the intersection of the latch bolt and stem, a spring positioned around the stem with one end against the said shoulder and the other positioned against one of the flanges of the base, said keeper positioned to be engaged by the jaw on the outer end of the latch bolt, a nut adjustably mounted on the opposite end of 'the stem of the latch bolt for adjusting the limit of the outward movement of the latch bolt, a trunnion threaded on the stem having laterally disposed pins, nuts threaded on the stem and positioned against opposite sides of the trunnion, a U-shape lever having arms with rollers in the ends thereof and having openings spaced from the ends in which the pins of the trunnion are positioned whereby with downward movement of the outer end of the lever the rollers travel across the center of the latch bolt securing the bolt in the locking position.

3. In a lever actuated latch adapted to cooperate With a keeper, the combination which comprises a base provided with spaced perpendicularly arranged flanges having slots and openings therein, a latch bolt having a gripping jaw on the outer end and a threaded stem extended from the opposite end slidably mounted in the slots and openings of the flanges of the base, said latch bolt having a shoulder at the inner section of the latch bolt and stem, a spring positioned around the stem with one end against the shoulder and the other positioned against one of the iianges of the base, a nut adjustably mounted on the opposite end of the stem of the latch bolt for adjusting the limit of the outward movement of the latch bolt, a trunnion threaded on the stem having laterally disposed pins, nuts threaded on the stem and positioned against opposite sides of the trunnion, a U-shaped lever having arms with rollers in the ends thereof and having openings spaced from the ends in which the pins of the trunnion are positioned whereby wlth downward movement of the outer end of the lever the rollers travel across the center of the latch bolt to thereby secure the bolt in locked position.

JACK CROFT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record me of this patent: m the UNITED STATES PAIENI'S Name 966,426 Carlson Augl.D 8$91910 1,326,956 Myers Jan. 6 1920 1,872,321 Moore Aug. 16 1932 2,333,239 Fleisher et a1. Nov. 2', 1943 

